Toy vehicle



TOY VEHICLE Filed April 30, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 29,1925- 1,567,144

N. HECK TOY VEH I CLE Patented 29 19255.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NICKOLAS HECK, OF SIOUX ('lI'lY, IOWA, ASSIG-NOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 JAMES R.

' CARNES, OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA.

TOY VEHICLE.

Application filed April 30, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NICKOLAS HECK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Sioux City, in the county of Woodbury and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Toy Vehicle, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a childs toy vehicle, and it is my object to provide such a vehicle which is modeled in miniature after an aeroplane of the common biplane type.

More particularly it is my object to provide such a toy vehicle having a body, rear traction wheels, forward steerable wheels and steering mechanism therefor, a pivoted rudder, vertically spaced planes, and a miniature propeller rotatably mounted to be actuated by contact with the air when the vehicle is travelling forwardly. With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, .and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan of the vehicle. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View, taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

. I have used the reference character 10 to indicate a base which forms the foundation for the body of the vehicle. The base, 10, is preferably made of a wooden plank, somewhat cigar-shaped, as shown in Fig. 4, and is inclined upwardly at its forward end, as at 11. The body of the vehicle is completed by means of a sheet metal shell, 12, having the rearwardly-converging sides, 13, and the forwardly-converging sides, 14, which are spaced to receive the base members, 10 and 11, respectively, and are secured thereto by means of screws, or the like, 15, extending through the sides and into the edges of the base.

The forward portion of the body, 12, is apertured, as at 16, in imitation of the forward observation cock pit of a large Serial No. 26,964.

plane, and the forward edges of the apertu re, 16, are drawn upwardly to provide a immature visor or windshield, 17. The aperture, 16, does not extend the entire width of the body so that a narrow flange or metal, 18, is left on either side of the aperture, the purpose of which will later be more fully set forth.

Located intermediate of the ends of the body is a second aperture, 19, providing a second rear cock pit.

The interior of the body is divided into compartments by two artition members, 20 and 21, located forwar ly and rearwardly respectively, of the edges of the aperture, 19.

The partition members, 20 and 21, serve several purposes, among which are the supporting and bracing of the thin metal sides of the body and the dividing of the interior of the body into compartments in which the child may keep toys and the like.

The rear partition, 21, further serves to support a seat post, 22, on which is mounted a seat, 23, of suitable construction. Other types of seat might be employed, but it will be seen that in any case the partition member, 21, may be utilized to transmit the weight of the child from the seat directly to the base without imposing the weight upon the shell, 12.

To the upper surface of the rear portion of the body, 12, is secured a plate, 24, in imitation of the ailerons of an aeroplane. A rudder, 25, is formed of a sheet of metal and provided with spaced loops, 26, between which the metal is cut away, as at 27, to receive the end of the body member. A pin, 28, is extended through the loops, 26, through the shell, 12, and the base, 10, pivotally securing the rudder, 25, to the body and permitting free swinging movement thereof.

The shell, 12, is provided with a forward vertical wall, 29, to which is secured a cupshaped bearing bracket, 30, (see Fig. 1). The bracket, 30, and the wall, 29, are apertured to receive a propeller shaft, 31, which may be provided on its inner end with a head, 32, and to the outer end of which is secured a propeller, 33, formed of a sheet of metal suitably shaped and twisted, as illustrated. The propeller, 33, is secured to the shaft, 31, by means of a cap, 34, secured to the propeller blades and extending around the shaft.

The front wheel assembly and the wings of the vehicle are linked togther, and I will therefore describe them together.

The lower plane, 35, rests against the upper face of the base, 10, and projectsbeyond either side, 13, of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 3, the sides being cut away below the plane for that purpose. I

. At either side of the shell a pair of sleeves, 36, rest against the partition at their lower ends and are extended upwardly through openingsin the flanges, 18, and in the upper wall of the shell, 12, respectively, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Resting against the upper ends of the sleeves, 36,'is the upper frame, 37, which is spaced somewhatabove the upper wall of the body;

The front axle assembly includes a pair of U-shaped rearwardly opening brackets, 38, having the upper horizontal arm portions, 39, which are secured'to the base, 10, bymeans of bolts, 40, extending through the upper and lower planes, 37 and 35, through the sleeves, 36, the base, 10, and the arms, 39. Nuts, 41, secure the parts in fixed relation. (See Fig. 3.) r

Riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the arms, 39, are the horizon-tally-extending portions, '42, of the vertical struts,'43, the ends of the portions, 42, being spaced apart and secured to each other and to the base, 10, by means of a connectingbar, 44, and bolts, '45, extending through the bar, 44, the ends of the portions, 42, and the base, 10. Thus,

the struts, 43, are braced against lateral movement.

The lower ends of the struts, 43, are bentinwardly toward each other, as at 46, and there secured to the lower arms, 47, of the brackets, 38. (See Fig. 3.) This construction securely braces the struts, 43, against movement forwardly or rearwardly. Spindle clevices, 48, are secured to the struts, 43, and braced by means of short bars, 49, fixed to the lateral extensions, 46, of the struts, 43.

The steering knuckles, 50, are pivoted in the clevices, 48, by means of pins, 51, and carry the wheels 52. The steering knuckles. 50, have the rearwardly-extending steering arms, 53, connected by a steering link, 54.

' A steering shaft, 55, extends through the upper wall'of the shell, 12, just above the of a bearing plate, 56.

partition member, 20,. and is journaled against the partition member, 20, by means (See Fig. 3.) The shaft, '55, thence extends downwardly and forwardly through the base, 10, through a bra'cl'ret, 57, the end of which is secured to the cross bar, 44, between the bar, 44, and

the base, 10, and at its lower end isprovided with a crank arm, 58, extending rearw-ardly. A rod, 59, connects the crank arm, 58, with the link, 54. a

It will be seen that rotation of the shaft, 55, as indicated by the arrow, 60, will cause the wheels to he turned in the same direction, as indicated by the arrow, 61.

A hand wheel, 62, is fixed to the upper end of the shaft, 55.

The rear axle, 63, is journaled in brackets, 64, secured to the under side of the base, 10, and mounted thereon are the traction wheels,

'65. The ends of the shaft, 63, are provided with crank arms, 66, disposed diametrically opposite eachother.

A pedal arm bracket comprises a bar, 66,

and two yokes, 67,secured' to the bar and-to the base, 10, by means of bolts, 68. The bar, 66, rigidly aligns the yokes, 67, and distributes the pressure thereagainst more evenly to the base, 10. Pedal arms, 69, are journaled in the yokes, 67, and provided at their lower ends with outwardly and horizontally-extending trunnions, 7 0, on which are mounted pedals, 71, and to which are linked connecting arms, 72. The connecting arms, 72, are journaled to the throws, 73, of the crank arms, 66, at their I other ends. I

In assembling the rear wheel structure, one of thecrank arms, 66, is first formed on the shaft, 63, and thew-heels then inserted over the shaft and welded in place. The other crank arm, 66, may be bent while the material of the shaft is still hot from the welding andthe throw then formed.

It will be seen that the construction described is very strong and substantial and yet not complicated.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a toy vehicle, a body comprising a base, and an inverted channel-shaped shell of sheet metal secured to the edges of said base, a miniature propeller rotatably mounted in the forward end of the shell, vertically spaced planes fixed to the body, aminiaturerudder comprising a sheet of material having spaced sleeves vertically aligned, the rudder being recessed between the sleeves to receive the rear end of the body, a pin extended vertically through the sleeves and through the body, and wheels supporting the body.

2. In a toy vehicle, a body comprising a base, and an inverted channel-shaped shell of sheet metal secured to the edges of said base, the upper wall of the shell beingxaper- .tured intermediate of the ends thereof,

transversely extending partition members positioned forwardly and rearwardly of the aperture to provide a miniature cockpit adapted to serve as a receptacle for toys,

said partition members also serving to support the walls of the shell, a seat supported on one of said partitions, vertically spaced planes fixed to the body, and wheels supporting the body.

3. In a toy vehicle, a body comprising a base, and an inverted channel-shaped shell of sheet metal secured to the edges of said base, the shell having a forward wall provided with an aperture, a cup-shaped apertured bracket secured to said forward wall, a stub shaft extending through the apertures in said bracket and forward wall and provided with means at its inner end to prevent its outward movement, a miniature propeller secured to the outer end of said shaft, vertically-spaced planes secured to the body, and wheels supporting the body.

4. In a toy vehicle, a body including a base, and an inverted channel-shaped shell secured to the sides of said base, a lower plane resting against the upper face of the base, the ends of said plane being projected through the sides of the shell, a pair of sleeves extending through the upper wall oi": the Shell on either side thereof and resting against the plane, an upper plane resting upon the upper ends of the sleeves, and bolts extending through the upper and lowerplanes, the sleeves, and the base, securing the planes in spaced relation and in fixed relation to the body.

5. In a toy vehicle, a base, an inverted, channel-shaped shell secured to the sides oi said base, having an upper wall and side walls, Wheels supporting the vehicle, a pair of sleeves supported by the base and extend ing through said upper wall, a plane supported upon the upper ends of said sleeves, and bolts extending through the planes, the sleeves and the base, securing the plane in fixed relation above the body.

Signed at Sioux City, in the county of lVoodbury and State of Iowa, this 22nd day of April. 1925.

NICKOLAS HECK. 

